BreakFast

DO YOU LEAP OUT OF BED READY FOR A FEAST OR DO YOU GROGGILY GROPE YOUR WAY TO THE KETTLE? 

   

STRAWBERRIES AND YOGHURT: A HEALTHIER ALTERNATIVE TO A FRY-UP   

WHILE MORE OFTEN THAN NOT WE SKIP BREAKFAST OPTING INSTEAD FOR A RUSHED COFFEE AND HIGH CALORIE SNACK, BREAKFAST MAY BE THE KEY MEAL, WHICH CAN MAKE OR BREAK OUR DAY. ALL TOO OFTEN WE DON’T EAT FOOD WHICH WILL FUEL OUR BODIES AND INSTEAD SNACK ON THE RUN AS WE TRY TO BEAT THE CLOCK.

STEP FORWARD, BREAKFAST GURU NOORA WHO’S ON A MISSION TO CONVERT US INTO TRANSFORMING THOSE EARLY-MORNING STARTS. 

ACCORDING TO HER, “THERE ARE SO MANY MAKE-IN-A-MOMENT DISHES WHICH ARE MOUTH-WATERING AND CAN LITERALLY KICK-START OUR ENERGY LEVELS AND SUSTAIN US ALL DAY.

“MOST IMPORTANTLY I THINK THERE’S NOTHING NICER THAN WAKING UP AND TASTING SOMETHING REALLY GOOD. 

“GIVING YOURSELF A TREAT FIRST THING CAN BOOST YOUR MOOD, AND LITERALLY MAKE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A GOOD DAY AND A BAD DAY.”

EVEN THE LAZIEST STOP-IN-BEDS COULD SURELY TAKE A FEW SECONDS TO SHAKE UP A FRUIT JUICE SUCH AS WATERMELON AND STRAWBERRY JUICE.

ALTERNATIVELY DIP INTO SMOOTHIES LIKE RASPBERRY AND BANANA YOGHURT OR MAYBE MAKE-UP A WEEK’S SUPPLY OF HEALTHY FRUIT AND NUT PACKED GRANOLA OR MUESLI.

SHE’S GIVEN A TWIST TO CLASSICS SUCH AS HOT SANDWICHES AND KEDGEREE AND INCLUDED A COMPREHENSIVE COLLECTION OF RECIPES FROM BOILED EGGS TO BENEDICT WITH SMOKED TROUT, TO SCRAMBLED DUCK EGGS WITH CREME FRAICHE AND CAVIAR.

MOROCCAN-BORN NOORA CHEERFULLY ADMITS SHE’S SUCH AN ENTHUSIAST OF BREAKFASTS THAT SHE ENTERTAINS FRIENDS TO BRUNCHES INSTEAD OF DINNER PARTIES. 

“I FIND IT SO MUCH EASIER AND LESS STRESSFUL LAYING ON A MID-MORNING SPREAD WITH MAYBE BOWLS OF FRESH FRUITS, HOME-BAKED BREAD AND PLATTERS OF EGG.

“IT CAN TURN INTO A DAY-LONG PARTY AS FRIENDS COME AND GO. 

“YOU CAN EITHER BE VERY HEALTHY AND DRINK FRUIT JUICES OR BE INDULGENT AND DECADENT WITH CHAMPAGNE AND LOTS OF WAFFLES.”   

NOORA’S TOP CHOICES FOR THOSE OCCASIONS CAN BE A SAVOURY TREAT SUCH AS QUAIL’S EGG FLAN WITH CREME FRAICHE AND CHIVES, OR A SWEET DELIGHT SUCH AS RASPBERRY YOGHURT PIKELETS WITH VANILLA MASCARPONE.

SO OPEN YOUR EYES TO BREAKFAST TO TWO OF NOORA’S FAVOURITES - ONE QUICK AND ONE LEISURELY AND MORNINGS WILL NEVER SEEM THE SAME AGAIN!

WILD STRAWBERRY AND VANILLA YOGHURT

(SERVES 4)

INGREDIENTS

200G/7OZ WILD STRAWBERRIES (OR SUPER SWEET STRAWBERRIES IF YOU CAN’T GET WILD)

500G/1LB 2OZ GREEK YOGHURT

SEEDS OF ONE VANILLA POD

2 HEAPED TBSP ICING SUGAR, SIFTED

METHOD

PLACE MOST OF THE BERRIES IN A FOOD PROCESSOR, RESERVING A FEW FOR GARNISH. WHIZZ UNTIL YOU GET A THICK PUREE AND SET ASIDE UNTIL NEEDED.

PLACE THE YOGHURT IN A LARGE MIXING BOWL. BEAT IN THE VANILLA SEEDS AND ICING SUGAR UNTIL WELL COMBINED. 

POUR IN THE STRAWBERRY PUREE AND GENTLY FOLD IT INTO THE YOGHURT TO GET A SLIGHTLY RIPPLED EFFECT. 

SPOON INTO FOUR SMALL BOWLS AND TOP WITH THE RESERVED BERRIES.

THE BREAKFAST CAN BE PREPARED THE NIGHT BEFORE AND KEPT CHILLED IN YOUR REFRIGERATOR.